The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1887-11-16
Beauregard's Pretty Spy.
From the Ne,o York Sun.


Gen. Beauregard, whose headquarters are
in the New York hotel, still preserves many
of the characteristics that made him pet
in the Confederacy during the war. His
strong French face is furrowed by scarcely
wrinkle, and despite his 60 years of age,
he is as 1.-the, active and muscular as an
athlete of 80. His manners, though quiet,
are remarkably graceful, and there are few
men in public life who are more easy of ap-
proach- He is, withal, great favorite OF
the fair sex, and it is said that some of the
best secret service done while he was
in command was performed by ladies. es-
pecially when social diplomacy was the
chief weapon to be employed.
One of those was sent from Virginia 10
Washington in 1862 to obtain. if possible.
the roster of McClellan's army and such
other information as might Indicate the
plans of the General with reference to an
advance on Centrevllle. She was amply
provided with means, and ably per ormed
the mission When she returned, it was by
way of the Potomac, opposite Dumfries,
Va, an outpost under the command of Gen.
then Colonel Wade Hampton, with his
own Hampton Legion. That alant
soldier at once forwarded the fair spy to
Beauregard, whose headquarters were
at Centreville.. Her baggage con-
sisted only of pet skye terri er
and a small gripsack. On arriving
there she was ushered into the
presence of the General, and with true
womanly volubility proceeded to entertain
him with description of her adventure rt
and their result. Beauregard patiently
allowed the lingual freshet to flow on
naturally, supposing that when she got
t red she would produce the dispatches.
But the little woman's tongue was hung in
the middle and wagged at both ends, and,
moreover, she was too pretty to be silenced
abruptly. Finally, the General, unable to
restrain his anxiety any longer, said:
We'll, Mrs. NJ, where are your papersp'
"Why, General, I've been trying to tell you
the news already. Don't yon see it wouldn't
have been safe to bring important
papers on my person, and so
| familiarized myself with their
contents. The fact is that
have been suspected and searched already.
SO that it's lucky I've a good memory. d"
Beauregard now unable to conceal his
chagrin, frankly told the lady he was griev-
ously disappointed, having waited for the
dispatches for long time and could place
but little reliance on a memory of so many
figures and details. Therefore her missio.i
had proved of little use. She listened to his
scolding with a demure air, and when he
had finished looked at him with a mischiev-
Gus twinkle in her eye, and called to her dog
''Here, Floyw The Skye terrier jumped in
her lap. General, have you a knife about
you" The knife was produced. Then she
turned the animal over on its back, and. to
the amazement of Beauregard, deliberately
proceeded to rip him open. In less
time than it takes to tell it she
held in one hand the precious papers and
in the other the skin of her skye terrier.
while prancing about the floor was a dimin-
utive black -and-tan pup, overjoyed at his
relief from an extra cuticle. The shrew,l
woman had sewed her dispatches between
the two skins in a manner that defied detec
ton, and under the very noses of the Fed
eral videttes had carried some Of the most
important information transmitted during
the war. 1t is needless to say that Beaure-
gard was delighted, and it was but n little
while after this incident that Mcclellan adj
vanced on Centreville, only TO find deserted
camps. batteries of Quaker gun ;" anu the
Confederate army falling back toward Rich
mo ID and YORKTOWN. Between the dog and
a pretty woman the General had got t, 9
''tip" Is it wonder that he is a devotee OF
the fair sex